Addressing the event, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan expressed his hope that the association will successfully complete its set tasks, helping increase incomes for rice farmers, ensure food security, promote exports, and mobilise all resources and economic sectors to engage in developing Vietnam's rice industry.

The association is expected to create sustainability and closer connection in the relationship between rice farmers, businesses and authorities, helping to affirm the “Vietnamese rice” brand in the international market, Hoan said.

The Vietnam Rice Industry Association is a socio-professional organisation of Vietnamese organisations, businesses, cooperatives, farms and individuals operating in researching, producing, processing, and trading rice and by-products and products from rice; producing and trading agricultural materials; and operating in mechanisation, high technology, digital technology, and logistics services, to serve the rice industry.

It serves as a bridge connecting the State and stakeholders operating in the rice industry, thus building and developing the industry towards modern, effective and sustainable development, meeting market requirements and adapting to the new context of socio-economic development, international integration, environmental protection and climate change.

The association will also help link organisations and individuals operating in fields related to the rice industry to form a rice value chain, and develop large-scale rice framing areas meeting requirements, towards promoting innovation of Vietnam's rice industry./.VNA